We’re Crossing Over

We Are Crossing Over

By: Susan Deborah Schiller

Thousands of years ago God put into place a plan to save every family – every man, woman, and child. It's an ongoing story that was first recorded in the Old Testament, with "cities of refuge" and family "redeemers". I write more about this stratege at "The Avengers".

It's a strategy for justice, for both victims and perpetrators, which creates an abuse-free zone in every community. We don't employ that strategy today, but we could each start by understanding that in God's justice system the victims get payback – a double portion, even.

Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt,

Your inheritance in the land will be doubledand your joy go on forever. – Isaiah 61:7

This is our inheritance: Every abuse is turned into something Good and Beautiful.

I believe God is raising up Dread Champions who are using their inheritance, like David's Mighty Men. We've been trained in the desert. We've been behind enemy lines. We are survivors of the worst kind of abuse: religious sociopaths. Our weapon is our writing.

In writing our stories, we are breaking the shame barrier. Instead of silence, we are getting our voices back. Instead of cover up, we are exposing. Instead of cowering, we are gaining the courage to confront evil forces. Our presence causes evil to flee in seven directions.

We are His peacemakers. We cry out for justice. We rescue victims. We go after the one who was shunned and abandoned. We doctor the wounds.

We are using our inheritance to rewrite our future and to create our world.

In reading a best seller book called "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave, about correcting injustice, in part, through journalism. The journalist in the book said to Little Bee, a Nigerian woman who escaped the genocide of her village, that they needed to write the stories of the survivors.

Little Bee replied: "You know it is not a good idea to collect stories."

Sarah shook her head, "I don't agree. I think it's the only way we'll make you safe… Our problem is that you only have your own story. One story makes you weak. But as soon as we have one hundred stories, you will be strong. If we can show that what happened to your village happened to a hundred villages, then the power is on our side. We need to collect the stories of people who've been through the same things as you. We need to make it undeniable…."

In Sue Monk Kidd's best-seller called "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter," she writes:

"The truth is, in order to heal we need to tell our stories and have them witnessed.'All sorrows can be borne if we put them in a story or tell a story about them,' said Isak Dinesen, a writer who had plenty of sorrow and told stories to bear it. The story itself becomes a vessel that holds us up, that sustains, that allows us to order our jumbled experiences into meaning….

"I also needed to hear other women's stories in order to see and embrace my own. Sometimes another woman's story becomes a mirror that shows me a self I haven't seen before. When I listen to her tell it, her experience quickens and clarifies my own. Her questions rouse mind. Her conflicts illumine my conflicts. Her resoutions call forth my hope. Her strengths summon my strengths. All of this can happen even when our stories and our lives are very different.

"Solidarity is identifying with one another without feeling like you have to agree on every issue. It's unity, not uniformity. It's listening without rushing in to fix the problem. It's going deeper than typical ways of talking and sharing – going down to the place where souls meet and love comes, where separateness drops away and you know these women because you are these women." — Sue Monk Kidd (bold mine)

Instead of blaming, shaming, and shunning, I want to hear ringing in our ears: "Beloved child, you are Home. Your story is our story and our story is your story. We are all One in Christ. We want to hear your voice. Shout if must. Cry if you need to. Sing, draw, write! We need you, beloved one."

Nothing changes unless we change. The Word of God, a sword in your hand, is "living and active and sharper than a double-edged sword…."

Faith is using God's Word to tell a story that creates a better world.

Susan Schiller knows how it feels to lose everything: marriage and family, church and reputation, finances and businesses, and more. Susan's upcoming, interactive memoir, "On the Way Home," tells the story of how she came to be known as "the most abused woman" her counselors had yet met and how she learned to navigate to freedom and fullness.

Today Susan helps people write their life stories, unearthing the treasures of their past and sowing them into their future, creating new family legacies.

Thanks for a great website! I had just a moments time of sociopath abuse in a church, but thankfully I was not married to the guy involved! He is trying to become a pastor and I am praying about trying to expose him at one of the churches where he speaks. He went straight into the church from the streets introducing himself as a "preacher". My first gut instict was "egotistical jerk" …although I gave him the benefit of the doubt…CLASSIC. He has named one of his children after himself…classic mini-me ism I am afraid 🙁 . My experience was over 4 years ago, and its taken some time to get past it, cannot IMAGINE being married to one. God help his poor wife and children. And as you point out, if I do go and try to warn people, I will be made out to be the one who has "issues", jealous, stalker, scorned woman, and other rumors they say about me…but I never even was interested in the guy involved, just a convenient cover story for them to paint me as the bad guy and save his rep. Thanks for your work.

It sounds like you dodged a bullet to the heart but it still grazed your shoulder, Deborah. You are standing for the Truth and there people listening, even though they silence your voice. Keep speaking – write your story, too! 🙂

Sue, I visited Oklahoma Sunday-Tuesday after a long absence. We were stationed there with the military for 10+ years off and on. So, we crossed overthe Red River boundary betweeen Oklahoma and Texas many, many times.

Although the width and breadth and length of the Red River was huge… we never saw it full. Sometimes it looked like a small, 4 feet deep, running pathway; other times it was a mere trickle or no water at all. However, this time, the Red River was at flood stage, which is quite a site to see!!!

I immediately thought of crossing over into the Promise Land. (Joshua 3:14-16… 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.) flood stage ALL DURING HARVEST! Then this devotional arrived:

May 19, 2015. You are at an historic personal river crossing. Successfully crossing over will bring you into your land of promise, the inheritance for which you have waited so long. This is the day for which you have been waiting. The Elijah in your life has done well, but he is dead now. You have received directly from Me an Elisha anointing to double and quadruple the former blessing Elijah received. There is a supernatural passing of the mantle from the old to the new. Strike the river that divides you from all I have promised. I will divide the river for you to safely cross. Great and rewarding exploits await you. God is with you! Go.

2 Kings 2:13-14 (NLT) "Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. He struck the water with Elijah's cloak and cried out, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" Then the river divided, and Elisha went across." Ras Robinson

The Lord is saying that "this is the season when the crossing over takes place and we enter into the territory of promise. It is a different territory than before and with this territory comes a changing of mantles and an expansion of spheres of authority and influence and a whole new capacity to “occupy". Even as natural tornados and winds are stirring and rain is falling the rain of instruction and winds of movements are swirling in key regions of visitation and opening of the heavens. There are winds from above and winds from below but God’s winds shall come even as the Upper Room of Old in a “suddenly” that fills His people with boldness to ACT! “

"This is a new season of the book of ACTS, the book of ACTION and the book of Heavenly ACTIVISTS that will deactivate Hell’s activity! This is the time to catch the wind for cleansing and releasing from the past. It is the time of CROSSING OVER INTO YOUR FINEST HOUR! New supply lines, business and "cause alliances" will arise. I HAVE PREPARED THE PROVISION FOR MY PEOPLE TO ENTER THE LAND OF PROPHETIC PROMISE. You shall have what is needed to enter and occupy your territory. DO NOT FEAR the shaking, but rather look to the one who shakes the heavens and the earth, for in the shaking I will remove the obstructions from before My people."

Sue, I believe that evil loves nothing more than silence, for whatever reason silence reigns. While I can understand that on "happy" days you dread going back to the place of pain in order to continue the telling of your story, find a bearable balance if you can. Your message — and your mission — are too important to the many other women who have not yet felt that happiness. And know that you are surrounded by love as you take that journey …

It’s coming along fairly well, William – thanks! Pre-order is available right now, for free, at the “subscribe” link up above, to the right. It puts you on the list to receive the e-book version, for free, once it’s available. Thanks so much for coming by and also for asking!

Oh, Susan! My eyes are teary after reading this. Yes. You must share these stories! God has given you this exquisite gift of forming coherent thoughts about your experiences…who better to understand and give voice to the world about these other sufferers? Oh praying for you dear sister!

I just want to thank you for writing! I can relate to your feelings of vunerability and ineptness! My fears have kept me from putting words 'out there' where they might be seen, judged, and possibly used against me. Still, the truths that you are bringing us from your own life and today in "Little Bee" are prodding me to work through these fears.

Yes! I will pray for you and for each of the ones that will be one of the 100! Thanking God for you daily.

Jill, you are an incredible blessing and I thank you for coming by today! Sharing our stories, at first, seems hard… but there’s something magical that happens when you hit the publish button… it’s like you are restored in that area of your soul, made stronger, more solid. It’s hard to describe, but I’ve heard many other writers say the same thing. I pray your story comes out at just the right time for you… if you ever want to “pre-share” it, I’m here for you 🙂

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